The head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (MUD) Kyrylo Budanov denied rumors about possible dismissal from his post, which again became the topic of media discussions. According to Budanov, these rumors are "another throw-in" aimed at destabilizing the situation in the country.
Budanov, who has been in charge of GUR since August 2020, noted that his relations with the Office of the President of Ukraine are normal and working. "I report to the president almost every day about the situation at the front and in the country in general," he said on the BBC. When asked about his relationship with the President's Office, he emphasized that this is a standard format of cooperation, and his work does not cause any questions or conflicts.
This week, some media once again spread information that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is allegedly planning to replace Budanov with another candidate. Insiders pointed to the possible support of this decision by the head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak and the deputy head of the SBU Oleksandr Poklad, the latter was even called a likely candidate for the post of head of the State Security Service. However, Budanov said that these rumors are not the first to appear in the media, and they are only intended to cause confusion.
"This is another throw. Unfortunately, at a certain point, these narratives spread in the Ukrainian information space, and they were actively replicated by Russian propaganda. This is part of the destabilization strategy, which is used by both external and internal forces," Budanov emphasized.
He also added that in the conditions of the ongoing war, the GUR has many tasks, and these tasks do not change due to media "distractions". Budanov noted that the main threat to Ukraine is not only the frontline situation, but also the constant information war, including the spread of fake news aimed at undermining morale and stability.
